Volunteering After the Holidays

When we think of volunteering, the holidays often come to mind. We naturally associate giving back with the image of a crowded, old-fashioned soup kitchen on Thanksgiving day, filled to the brim with helpful volunteers and swirling aromas of turkey and stuffing, or the vague idea of the spirit of giving, a concept Christians most often associate with Christmas, presents wrapped with a pretty bow and sent off to charity. 

But until the month of November rolls around, it doesn’t occur to many people to perform charitable acts for the community. We reserve our time until the holiday season, carefully consolidating our hours before donating canned goods or cleaning up a roadside once a year. Between the months of January through October, we rarely spare a thought for where those items end up, or the people they help. 

The downtrend in donations during these months have a truly surprising negative impact on the community. Many people don’t fully understand the ramifications of the lack of donations, but the CLC community continues to step up to help those in need. 

The National Honors Society (NHS) is, as its name suggests, not only a school or statewide organization. NHS contains many chapters across the United States, as well as many more junior chapters for middle school students looking to get involved in the community. 

Braden Farrell, president of NHS, was kind enough to sit down for an interview. Despite the bustling atmosphere of the cafeteria as the school empties in the afternoon, he was able to give some insight on the way volunteering is viewed in the school culture. 

“I think CLC does a really good job of encouraging our students to volunteer,” he said. “That’s just kids giving up their time to come help at events and do things like that… NHS does a lot with the food pantry, tons of those service based things around the area.” 

He added that, ““Yes, there’s NHS, which is a little more selective, but you can still get your hours in by going to Interact Club.” Interact Club, sponsored by Dr. Liz Arbir, focuses mainly on specified projects to help enhance the school experience. Although not as well known as the NHS, their work is equally important within the school. 

With the close of the NHS application process for the 2024-2025 school year, the end of the spring semester, and April, National Volunteer Month, upon us, it is important to remember that it is not only ourselves that we serve when volunteering. Although a good wrap on college applications is a nice incentive, that elusive spirit of giving, at least to me, seems like a more admirable goal. 

Farrell closed out our interview by remarking, “Volunteering is… important because… the more you’re doing, the better off you’re going to be in other areas of your life… When I’m volunteering and making other people feel better… it reflects on building my character and helps encourage me to keep doing the right thing.” 

After all, Christmas time isn’t the only time people need help, the only time our roads need cleaning, or the only time local organizations require donations. Kindness should extend beyond the bounds of holiday cheer, or any month, for that matter. 

CLC College Fair

“College is where you find yourself, in every possible way” I can’t add a citation for this quote because not one person can take credit for it. Your parents have said it, their friends, your teachers, other students, college administrators and more. College is not just an educational institution, it's where you discover your talents, your hobbies, your lifelong friends. Where you learn who, or what, you truly want to be in life. College is an experience of many magnitudes. 

Honors Sophomore English and AVID students are hosting this year's annual CLC College Fair. Students of these courses take months to prepare for this fair, researching a college of choice thoroughly and putting together interactive and interesting presentations. All students are welcome to attend the fair scheduled on April 17. Tigers are encouraged to take time out of free periods to venture into the field house and explore the presentations.

The college fair presents such a great opportunity to learn more about different types of colleges you may never even heard of. Take advantage of this opportunity. If you aren’t able to visit many colleges in person throughout high school then use this college fair as a way to learn more about possible institutions by just walking around the field house. Most college booths hand out brochures or swag that you can take home with you as a reminder to further research any colleges that you are interested in. So many students put time and effort into making this fair happen so use it to your benefit. Really learn and listen to the presentations and take something out of them. I hope to see all our tigers there!

Article By Ella Hutchins

It’s an election year. 

No one needs reminding. 

And the rhetoric that often coincides is, simply put, angry. It’s like there’s an expectation that the person on the other side is going to say something so mean that the subsequent response must be meaner.  

That’s how politicians talk to each other in 2024, right? 

Not at CLC. 

Yesterday, the hypothetical Hamiltonians took on the hypothetical Jeffersonians in a reprisal of one of our nation’s greatest arguments:  Is the National Bank constitutional?  This debate wasn’t moderated or sponsored by a major news network.  Instead it was led, organized, and argued by students:  students who sat on opposite sides of the literal aisle and then headed to Physics or Lang or Lunch, laughing all the way.  

In doing so, these students demonstrated how political discourse can be about ideas and possibilities - and that it doesn’t have to be personal.  Both sides opened, argued, and closed.  They acknowledged that men aren’t angels, that power corrupts, that tyranny is toxic.  They advocated for equality - for the everyman, the afflicted, and the elite.  They took different sides, but they said a lot of the same things, adding up to a collective understanding that when it comes to the big questions in our distant past and immediate future, this country deserves to get it right.  

It’s an election year. 

No one needs reminding.

But we all can use a refresher in respect.  

AP Gov students at Crystal Lake Central argued well, but they did it in a way we can learn from, no matter the outcome.  

Go Tigers.

Article by Guest Writer Aaron Brrrrrr